A lot of carpet stains can be cleaned relatively quickly and easily, however, nail polish is definitely not one of them. This product is made to stick and dry quickly.
So, if you:
Then, read along. This post will shed more light on how to get nail polish out of the carpet.
You probably have heard of acetone before, but what is it? Acetone is a solvent, which breaks down or dissolves varnish, paint, and, you guessed it, nail polish. That’s why it’s a common ingredient in varnish, paint and nail polish removers. You also need neoprene or nitrile gloves when handling it, because it dissolves latex.
How acetone works is quite simple. Nail polish is made mostly of resins, modifiers and colourants, all dissolved in solvents. After applying the product, all the solvents evaporate, and only the resin coating remains on the surface, giving your nails the desired colour. Acetone attacks and dissolves the resins, thus efficiently removing the polish.
Using acetone for removing nail polish from carpets is tricky. If you use too much or leave it for too long, it will penetrate the backing of the carpet, making it buckle and come unglued. It also has bleaching capabilities, which can ruin the carpet.
Therefore, it is best to use acetone on a white or light-coloured carpet that’s stained with nail polish. Soak a clean rag in nail polish remover and gently dab the stain until it comes off. Be very careful not to soak the carpet with acetone. If you have a colourful carpet, consider using an acetone-free polish remover.
Before you read about the different ways to get nail polish out of the carpet, you need to first take the precautionary steps.
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Removing nail polish from the carpet is not a straightforward process and you must use the appropriate method according to your situation. As mentioned already, you may have a fresh stain or an old stain, but you must also take into consideration the colour of the fabric. With all that in mind, read on and find out the best way to get nail polish out of your own carpet.
The hairspray cleaning method will prove useful when you have a fresh nail polish stain on your carpet. This is what you should do:
Do not use a non-alcohol hairspray as an alternative. It will only make the stain sticky and won’t clean anything.
Sugar or salt works best for fresh nail polish stains because of their absorbing capabilities. So, how do you use them?
When you’re done, vacuum to remove any tiny grains of sugar or salt. Otherwise, you may end up attracting ants.
ъYou already know that acetone has bleaching capabilities, so if your carpet is dark, use rubbing alcohol as an alternative. Always spot-test first.
Baking soda by itself is usually not enough unless you want to de-smell the stained area. So, in this case, you can combine it with ginger ale.
Ginger ale can stain a white or light rug, so if that’s the one you have, consider swapping the ginger ale with club soda.
If your carpet has several dark colours, go with white vinegar.
White vinegar has a rather unpleasant smell, so what you can do is mix a drop of dish soap with warm water and dab the spot after you’re done with the vinegar. Afterwards, rinse with clean water and leave to dry.
If you have an old polish stain, then chances are natural methods won’t work too well. In that case, and if you don’t mind the method not being eco-friendly, you can try some commercial products. Each manufacturer has their set of instructions, but generally, the process will look something like this:
It is quite possible that you will not get rid of the nail polish stain on your own. Unless tackled right after falling on your carpet, nail polish will seep further into the carpet fibres and become even harder to remove. Old nail polish stains are nearly impossible to get rid of with DIY carpet cleaning means.
If that’s the case, consider hiring professional carpet and rug cleaning. Fantastic Services works with certified and fully-insured local carpet cleaners. They will clean your carpet in depth via hot water extraction and provide it with antiviral sanitisation. Not only will both new and old stains vanish, but any lingering bad odours will disappear as well.
By booking Fantastic Services you get to use our convenient booking slots and weekend availability, plus special prices if you become a Fantastic Club member.
Book your carpet cleaning services today!
Image source: Maria Dryfhout / Shutterstock.com
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